CASUALTIES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13907, 5 December 1910, Page 9

CASUALTIES.

MJ t A FOUND DROWNED. An inquest was held on Saturday evening by Mr H. W. Bishop Coroner, concerning the death of Patnck O'Connell, a retired farmer, aged seventy-two years, residing at Windmill road, whose body was found in the River Avon on Saturday morning. Maurice O'Connell, a son of deceased, stated that he last saw his father alive about 7 o'clock on Friday evening. His father was, to a certain extent, under the influence of drink at that hour, and was going into town to obtain more drink. Witness had arranged to meet his father in the Square, but the latter did not keep the appointment. A hoy named Clive Lionel Crowley, a boarder ut Christ's College, gave evidence as to finding the body of deceased face downward in the river below Carlton bridge. About 20 yards higher up the river the bank was broken as if by someone falling into the river. 'Sergeant Burrows said there were no marks of violence on the body. The river was not deeo enough to drown a sober person. The Coroner recorded a verdict that deceased was found drowned in the River Avon, there being no evidence to show how he got there. Deceased, who resided in Windmill road, Sydenham, leaves a widow and a family of twenty-three children. On Friday morning an unusual kind of accident happened at Greenpark.

Mr Fred. Hubbard had several drays employed u» removing his furniture to his new abode. One carter, -with a dray load of furniture, was passing , another carter returning wstn an: cmptv dray at a point -where the roadway "is dangerously narrow, and one wheel getting over tho brow qf tne j road, the dfav caosiaed. The horse was lifted tip "in the air, the whoJe landing in tlio river Halswell. Though several neoplo jumped at once waistdeep into the river, and strove to keep the horse's head above water till it was cut free, their efforts proved of no avail, arid the animal was drowned. Various articles of household furniture and of wearing apparel were lost in the river. Including the hone —itself worth about £50—the accident must havo meant the loss to Mr Hubbard of from £70 to £80. Some of these unprotected roadways near rivers are very narrow, and fraught with danger to human life. During the cycle road racing on Saturday afternoon two nasty accidents occurred. In "The Press" race one of the competitors, A. Whit more came to grief about six mi!es from the starting point. Tlie fork of his bicycle snapped, and the rider was thrown heavily to the ground, receiving a severe scalp wound. Mr W. F. Waller, with Adams's motor car, was quickly on the spot, and the injured rider was conveyed to the Hospital, were the wound was dressed, several stitches being put In the followinc race, for youths under nineteen years of age, a more serious accident occurred. Just near West Melton, a rider named Woodfield was severely injured by a fall. It appears that Woodfield was riding a bicycle with wooden rims. One rim broke, and Woodfield fell heavily, sustaining concussion of the brain. He was badly cut about the face and head, and one shoulder was badly hurt. In response to a telephone message Dr. Gerald Russell" hastened to the scene of the accident and attended to the injured lad, bringing him in to the hospital in his car. A rider named Henry, who was just behind Woodfield, fell over him, and sustained a broken collarbone. A man named Somerville was knocked dr.wn by a tram on Saturday night and had his leg dislocated. Hβ is making satisfactory progress at the hospital. ~ An inquest was hold on Friday afternoon by Mr H. W. Bishop. Coroner, concerning the death of Thomas Mitchell, who died suddenly in a tramcar, when returning to the city from Onawn at 9.44 on Thursday evening. The Coroner returned a verdict of death from heart disease. An inquest was held at the Lyttelton Courthouse on Friday morning, by Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., District Coroner, on tho body of John William Gardner, who was found hanging in his house tho previous morning. The Coroner returned a verdict that Gardner had committer suicide by hanging himself while in-a state of , unsound mind. (FEESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, December 2. Richard Hatcliffe, an elderly man, was found dead in bed at his boardinghouse, with a half-emptied bottle of carbolic acid near his bedside. The landlady last evening made a demand for payment, which Hatcliffe apparently could not. meet. AUCKLAND, December 4. A man named John F. Shaffer, who resided at Hobsonville, was drowned in the harbour on Saturday night. He fell off tho Northcoto ferry Tee, and apparently struck the wharf in falling. WAIHI, December 2. Georgo Smart, hairdresser and tobacconist, was found dead in a chair i his saloon. His premises had %een closed for two days, and tho police forced an entrance last night. He leaves a wife and young family.